Friday, January 18, 2008

David Bash's Top 125 of 2007 (and more).

Here are David "Mr. IPO" Bash's lists, including his top 125 (I seem to have started an arms race in the size of year-end lists this year), and ancillary lists (top EPs, etc.). I always discover a few keepers that passed me by on his lists and I'm sure you will too. After I've had a change to digest it, I may append some comments to this post:

I. Top 125 Albums 2007

1. Ice Cream Hands-The Good China (Dust Devil)
2. The Fast Camels-The Magic Optician (Neon Tetra)
3. Peachfuzz-Catch Your Snap (Teenacide)
4. The Nines-Gran Jukle's Field (TAS Gold)
5. The Scruffs-Pop Manifesto (Self-Released)
6. David Brookings-Obsessed (Self-Released)
7. The Resonars-Nonetheless Blue (Get Hip)
8. The Red Button-She's About To Cross My Mind (Self-Released)
9. Fountains Of Wayne-Traffic And Weather (Virgin)
10. Mark & The Spies-Mark & The Spies (Screaming Apple)
11. Nushu-Nevermind Lullaby (Self-Released)
12. The Singles-Start Again (Sound Artifacts)
13. The Orchid Highway-The Orchid Highway (Self-Released)
14. The Tripwires-Makes You Look Around (Paisley Pop)
15. Paul Starling-Ghost Waltz (Self-Released)
16. The Procession-Music Magnifique (Retone)
17. Sparkwood-Kaleidoscopism (Excellent)
18. The Fore-Black & White (Beatnik Geek)
19. Graham Day And The Gaolers-Soundtrack To The Daily Grind (Damaged Goods)
20. Jackdaw 4-Bipolar Diversions (369)
21. Switches-Heart Turned To D.E.A.D. (Atlantic UK)
22. The Len Price 3-Rentacrowd (Wicked Cool)
23. Black Tie Revue-Code Fun (Gearhead)
24. The Peaces-Is/Are/Was/Were (Cherry Bomb)
25. Third Of Never-Moodring (Jam)
26. The Go-Howl On The Haunted Beat You Ride (Cass)
27. John Hoskinson-Pancho Fantastico (Tallboy)
28. Myracle Brah-Can You Hear The Myracle Brah (Rainbow Quartz)
29. The Tangerines-The Tangerines (Self-Released)
30. The Gilligans-Snoring With An Accent (Maize)
31. Kelly's Heels-Neither Use Nor Ornament (Warmfuzz)
32. Fancey-Schmancey (What Are)
33. Lolas-Like The Sun (Jam)
34. The Cheeks-Raw Countryside (Cargo)
35. The Pleasure-The Pleasure (Cargo)
36. Johnny Lloyd Rollins-Let's Be Poor Together (Self-Released)
37. Maple Mars-Beautiful Mess (Kool Kat)
38. The Broken West-I Can't Go On, I'll Go On (Merge)
39. Farrah-Cut Out & Keep (Self-Released)
40. Zombies Of The Stratosphere-The Well-Mannered Look (Self-Released)
41. Automat-Automat (Not Lame)
42. The Makes Nice-This Time Tomorrow (Frenetic)
43. The Apples In Stereo-New Magnetic Wonder (Yep Roc)
44. Johnny Monaco-Overrated (The Wrong Crowd)
45. Grandville-Grandville (TV Eye)
46. Home-Is Where The Heart Is (Manzilla)
47. The Primordials-Fourteen Prime Numbers (Screaming Apple)
48. The Well Wishers-How I Won The War (Self-Released)
49. Frank Ciampi-Big Top Woman (Self-Released)
50. Kaiser Chiefs-Yours Truly, Angry Mob (Universal Motown)
51. Deadbeat Poets-Notes From The Underground (Pop Detective)
52. Mary Weiss-Dangerous Game (Norton)
53. Richard X. Heyman-Actual Sighs (Turn-Up)
54. Peter Berry & The Shake Set-.For Goodness Shake! (Spinout)
55. Jeff Tracy-Moments In Time (Aardvark)
56. Teaneck-Masters Of Achievement (Quince)
57. George Burton-1965 (Applebeat)
58. Vibeke Saugestad-The World Famous Hat Trick (Sprett Ball)
59. Jeff Murphy-Cantilever (Black Vinyl)
60. The Color Bars-Kairos At Infinity (Paranoiac)
61. Marmalade Souls-Marmalade Souls (Rainbow Quartz)
62. Young Sportsmen-Death To Palaces (Self-Released)
63. Jason Falkner-I'm Ok.You're Ok (Noise McCartney)
64. The Backroom-Reagan Era Rocket Ship (Remedial)
65. The Sketches-Secret Alphabets (Self-Released)
66. Tenniscourts-Tenniscourts (Pop Ulysses)
67. Hiroaki Watarai-Secret Melodies (Wattack)
68. Wonderwall-Delicate Balance (Neon Pie)
69. Martin Newell-A Summer Tamarind (Cherry Red)
70. Ken Sharp-Sonic Crayons (Jet Fighter)
71. Poplord-Poplord (Self-Released)
72. IT'S MY PARTY!-R.S.V.P. (Mister Cat)
73. Rooney-Calling The World (Geffen)
74. The Urges-Psych Ward (Off The Hip)
75. Fred Jiminez-Il Est Temps Maintenant! (Self-Released)
76. The Leftovers-On The Move (Rally)
77. The Frauds-Hiding Out Loud (Orange Rock)
78. The ACB's-The ACB's (Self-Released)
79. The Wellingtons-For Friends In Faraway Places (Popboomerang)
80. Morten Richter-Message From The Slum (Rush)
81. Office-A Night At The Ritz (New Line)
82. Ronderlin-The Great Investigation (Tomt)
83. Paul McCartney-Memory Almost Full (MPL Communications)
84. The Primary 5-Go (Re-Action)
85. Blackout 101-Blackout 101 (Self-Released)
86. The Bishops-The Bishops (1-2-3-4)
87. Junebug-Fourth (Planet Cool
88. The Good Time Charlies-Pillars Of The Community (Not On Your Radio)
89. The Krinkles-The Mordorlorff Collection (Self-Released)
90. The Breakup Society-Nobody Likes A Winner (Get Hip)
91. The Fizzies-Contest Popularity (Self-Released)
92. The Maharajas-In Pure Spite (Low Impact)
93. Bobby Sutliff-On A Ladder (Paisley Pop)
94. Kaiser George & The Hi-Risers-Transatlantic Dymanite! (Spinout)
95. The Royal Purple-Psychoacoustics (Umbrella)
96. Fooling April-In The Now (Kool Kat)
97. The Foreign Films-Distant Star (Self-Released)
98. Dee Rangers-Blue Swedes (Screaming Apple)
99. The Mercies-The Mercies (Record Babies)
100. The Cherry Bluestorms-Transit Of Venus (Roundhouse)
101. Third Floor Story-Third Floor Story (Self-Released)
102. Lucky Soul-The Great Unwanted (Ruffa Lane)
103. The Ugly Beats-Take A Stand With The Ugly Beats (Get Hip)
104. Ideal Free Distribution-Ideal Free Distribution (HHBTM)
105. The Lost 45s-What Time Do You Call This? (Biff! Bang! Pow!)
106. The High Strung-Get The Guests (Park The Van)
107. Signal Hill Transmission-An Empty Space (P.A. Juice)
108. Rabbits On Trampolines-Rabbits On Trampolines (Self-Released)
109. The Prime Movers-Back In Line.(Self-Released)
110. Dolour-The Years In The Wilderness (Quince)
111. The Condors-Wait For It (Self-Released)
112. The Electric Soft Parade-No Need To Be Downhearted (Truck)
113. Arthur Yoria-Handshake Smiles (12)
114. The Pillbugs-Buzz For Aldrin (Self-Released)
115. Grand Atlantic-This Is Grand Atlantic (Popboomerang)
116. Rockfour-Memories Of The Never Happened (Anova)
117. The Malibus-Keep An Eye On The Malibus (Mai Tai Sun)
118. The Fratellis-Costello Music (Interscope)
119. Paul Steel-April & I (Raygun)
120. The Get Quick-See You In The Crossfire (Rainbow Quartz)
121. Ari Shine-A Force Of One (Bongo Beat)
122. Smashing Time-Make Some Noise (The Headache Machine)
123. Martin Gordon-The World Is Your Lobster (Radiant Future)
124. Feedbacks-Sunday Morning Record (Rock Indiana)
125. Jeffrey Scott-The Herald: The Printed Word Of Jeffrey Scott & His
Amazing Band (Self-Released)

II. Top Reissues Of Recent Vintage

1. Richard Snow-Richard Snow (Side B)
2. The Grip Weeds-House Of Vibes Revisited (Ground Up)
3. Favorita-Favorita (Popsicle)

III. Top 6 EPs

1. The Treasury-The Treasury (Teetering)
2. The Avenues-The Avenues (Self-Released)
3. The Waking Hours-How Does It Feel (Self-Released)
4. The Nice Outfit-Kissing Jocelyn (Self-Released)
5. Ian Axel-I'm On To You (Self-Released)
6. The Holy Fields-The Holy Fields (Self-Released)

IV. Top 5 Compilations-Single Artists

1. The Sails-Drum Roll Please (Fabtone)
2. Splitsville-Let's Go!: The Best Of Splitsville (Zip)
3. The Afternoons-Baby, You Know The Deal (Rock Indiana)
4. John Wicks And The Records-Rotate: An Anthology (Kool Kat)
5. The Pillbugs-Monclovia (Rainbow Quartz)

V. Top 5 Compilations-Various Artists

1. International Pop Overthrow Volume 10 (Not Lame)
2. Sweet Relief-Various Rock And Power Pop Artists (Jam)
3. Hook Heaven2-22 Tracks From The Pop Underground (Not Lame)
4. Shake Some Action (Not Lame)
5. Unsigned, Sealed & Delivered V 2.0: In Pop We Trust (Bullseye/Frontline)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

yeeessss Icecream Hands!!!!xx

Anonymous said...

Ice Cream Hands - come play America!

Steve said...

In case you didn't know, anonymous #3 and #5, David Bash is the man behind International Pop Overthrow, a series of power pop festivals. I included his list because he's probably the leading authority in the genre right now. This list is about power pop, as loosely as I define it, and it isn't about what indie bands are hip at the moment. If I cared about that, I'd reprint Pitchfork's list.

That Bash didn't insert "Powerpop" into his list title is irrelevant; by its appearance here and by David's reputation preceding it, the fact that the list is of power pop records is about as strongly implied as something can possibly be.

As for "sappy pop-dork", I wear that sobriquet as a badge of honor.